A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:

it attacks someone’s animal

the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal

A farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it’s worrying their livestock.

Penalties:

You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.

If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.

If you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine (or both).

If you allow your dog to injure an assistance dog (eg a guide dog) you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years or fined (or both).

Public Spaces Protection Orders

Some public areas in England and Wales are covered by Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) – previously called Dog Control Orders (DCOs).

In public areas with PSPOs, you may have to:

keep your dog on a lead

put your dog on a lead if told to by a police officer, police community support officer or someone from the council

stop your dog going to certain places – like farmland or parts of a park

limit the number of dogs you have with you (this applies to professional dog walkers too)

clear up after your dog

PSPOs only apply to public land.

Penalties:

If you ignore a PSPO, you can be fined:

£100 on the spot (a ‘Fixed Penalty Notice’)

up to £1,000 if it goes to court

You can’t be fined if you’re a registered blind dog owner.

PSPOs in your area:

Local councils must let the public know where PSPOs are in place.

Example: if dogs aren’t allowed in a park, there must be signs saying so.

If the council plans to put a new PSPO in place, it must put up a notice and publish it in a local newspaper and on its website.

The notice must tell you:

where the new PSPO will apply

if there’s a map and where you can see it

Dog fouling

You can be given an on-the-spot fine if you don’t clean up after your dog. The amount varies from council to council. It’s often £50 and can be as much as £80.

If you refuse to pay the fine, you can be taken to court and fined up to £1,000.

Registered blind dog owners can’t be fined.

Somecouncilshave stricter rules on dog fouling. They may make owners carry a poop scoop and disposable bag when they take their dogs out to a public place.

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